My Travels In Peru

In Verónica's Gaze

Legend has it that Incan emperor Pachacuti conquered Ollantaytambo in the middle of the 15th century; and after destroying what was previously there, he constructed one of the most beautiful cities of the empire. Towering behind the town is Apu Verónica, with its white crest sparkling in the sun, gazing on it like an eagle. Was it coincidental that both the Tambos, who built the original city, and the Incas, who destroyed it and reconstructed it, had chosen its location near one of the highest mountains overlooking the Sacred Valley? It suggests to me that Apu worship had something to do with it, and must have been practiced in the Andes for millennia.

Ollantaytambo, one of the oldest, continuously inhabited towns in Peru, sits at the point where the river Patakancha merges with the Urubamba. Snow-capped Verónica, which feeds the Patakancha, made sure that water flowed into the city even during the dry season. The fountains built by the Incas, more than half a millennium ago, are still flowing. The ruins of the ancient Inca citadel surround the modern town, and they attract tourists by the hordes.

The ancient city had two parts: the residential area at river level, and the ceremonial centre and military stronghold on the hilltop above it. The Inkamisana, the most fascinating of the ancient ruins, is found at the lower level. It comprises a system of waterworks and fountains, in a complex of rooms, open spaces, all connected by surface and underground channels. It's a wonder of hydraulic engineering. It captivated not only me but also everyone else there. In all, there were sixteen different fountains, including the so-called baño de la ñusta (bath of the empress), but a few of them remained unfinished. The Inca abandoned the site before the last stones of some fountains were put in place. They could also have been planned additions or modifications by the new inhabitants after the Spanish invasion.

After the Spaniards conquered Cusco, Ollantaytambo became the new capital of the Incas, who regrouped under Manco Capac, the new true Inca and leader of the resistance. Of course, many Inca caciques (chiefs) switched allegiance to the Spaniards and became their vassals, including the puppet Inca that they appointed as a mere figurehead. Eventually, the conquistadors attacked the city and Manco Capac won the battle. But, despite the victory, it was clear that the Spaniards would be back with a bigger force. Therefore, the Incas retreated to a more remote place in the jungle, known as Vilcabamba, where they continued the fight for another three decades, or so. Because of the abandonment of the city, the Inkamisana was never completed.

Archaeologists talk about the Inkamisana as having two parts. According to them, the upper part had the highest religious importance. It was a sanctuary for water worship. This was something new to me. I knew that ancient Peruvians of the coastal regions worshipped the sea because it was a source of food for them, but I had no idea that Andeans adored water per se. I had never come across it in my research. Of course, thinking about it later, it's logical: water is essential for life! Why wouldn't they celebrate a life-giving source? The lower part was largely ceremonial. It included the Water Temple, which houses the emperor's fountain, and the rock fountain that was used for ablutions by pilgrims.

A single channel carved on the side of the stone cliff that carries holy water from Apu Verónica feeds all fountains, with the exception of the empress' bath, which is fed by a separate channel. Stones cut from the nearby hill were masterfully sculpted into water basins and fountains, some of which never made it to their intended place. The workmanship was fit for the gods. It left nothing to be desired. Standing here, I'm awed not only by its beauty and clever engineering, but also by the fact that more than five centuries later everything still works! For a moment, I'm transported back in time to when the place swarmed with Incas, not tourists.

The Inkamisana is wedged between the hill on one side and the Patakancha River on the other. We stand here contemplating the climb up the hill to the ceremonial centre. Facing us is a steep hill, terraced from top to bottom. The terrace retaining walls were built from stone and look as if they were built only a few years earlier, but they are the original ones. The stairway to the top is in the middle of the lower terraces, and we make our way to it for the steep climb! It's not easy, but we make it, arriving out of breath huffing and puffing. As we climbed, I couldn't help thinking how much work had gone into constructing those terrace walls and the massive supporting wall facing the Urubamba River. That stone wall is at least thirty metres tall, leaning into the hill to give it more stability.

After the long arduous climb we reach the top and are met by two imposing structures: the temple of the sun and that of the ten niches. The outer wall of the latter, which we could see from the Water Temple below, has ten niches, hence the name. It could have been the temple of the moon, but nobody knows for sure. It's interesting how simply ancient structures are named, either for their features or for the discoverer. It reminds me of the temple of the seven windows in Machupicchu, similarly named. 

Incidentally, when I climbed Machupicchu I asked myself the question, "Why in the name of heaven would they build a city on top of a steep mountain?" I didn't get an answer. Now, standing on top of the hill at Ollantaytambo, I know why the Inca and their predecessors built temples on high hills and mountains: it brought them closer to the upper realm of the deities! From where we stand they also had a clear view of the Apus Verónica, another plus. They could be closer to the sun and to the mountain gods, but it must have been a tough climb even for them to greet the sun every morning.

The six humongous monoliths that make up the wall of the unfinished sun temple are impressive. One cannot fail to wonder, "How did they move them, and carve them to fit so close together?" They have stood here for centuries, in an area prone to earthquakes, and still today one cannot find space between the stones to slide a sheet of paper through the seams. The quality of the stonework is equally impressive: the smooth finish, the trapezoidal shapes of doorways and niches, the sloping outside walls. It all speaks of perfection. Yet, even here we see evidence that the Inca abandoned the place before they had finished the work. Large cut and polished stones lie on the ground waiting to be moved to their final resting places. It's still a work in progress.

It occurs to me that the ceremonial centre was built only after the Spanish conquest of Cusco. Otherwise, it would have been completed a century earlier, or well before Manco Capac made Ollantaytambo the new Inca capital. As he didn't have access to the Sun Temple in Cusco, it was a priority to build one here. If my hypothesis is correct, then it's understandable that there would have been insufficient time to complete such a massive undertaking. In fact, it's amazing that so much had been achieved during the few years of habitation in the new capital.

Farther up the hill from the ceremonial centre sits the Intihuatana, a stone altar with astronomical significance. It was most likely used as a calendar for predicting and observing the solstices and equinoxes. The Spaniards destroyed most of them across South America because they linked them to sun worship, which was contrary to their own religion. 

From here we have a panoramic view of the town below, the beautiful river valleys, and the mountain peaks on either side. Everything looks so peaceful and bucolic, belying the hustle and bustle of the artisan market we had gone through on the way in. 

We also have a great view of Verónica,  and, on the other side of the Patakancha River, is the image of Viracocha's face carved on a huge vertical rock on the side of the hill. The face of the creator god is about ten metres tall. The prominent features are the flat profile and angry look. To its right, are large arrays of storage rooms, built on the side of the steep hill. They seem barely accessible, almost impossible to build. But, we have already learned that Andean people thrived on making the impossible possible.